This Week in Points & Miles: August 16–22

This Week in Points & Miles: August 16–22

Eight deals on this list expire within ten days, and one ends tonight. The week also brought a run of bad news: Flying Blue splits its awards into three fare bands on September 8, Hilton made its price match harder to claim, and Amex is trimming credit limits. Deadlines first.

The short version

• Citi's 20% transfer bonus to Flying Blue ends today, August 22.

• Finnair pays double Avios and double tier points on flights booked by August 27.

• The Amex Gold is showing welcome offers as high as 100,000 points.

• Air France and KLM awards split into Light, Standard and Flex fares on September 8.

• Hilton tightened its Best Rate Guarantee with ten rule changes at once.

Deadlines this week

Six of the eight deadlines below land before the end of August. The first one to act on is Citi's 20% bonus to Flying Blue, which ends tonight. The rest give you at least five days. Each date is the last day to book or transfer, not the last day to travel.

Deal	Details	Ends
Citi to Flying Blue 20% transfer bonus	1,000 ThankYou points become 1,200 Flying Blue miles	Today, August 22
Finnair double Avios and tier points	Select routes, every cabin, travel through March 31, 2027	August 27
Cathay Pacific 10% transfer bonus	From Bilt, Capital One and Citi, capped at 10,000 bonus miles	August 28
Flying Blue 10,000 bonus miles	One paid US economy flight to any Air France or KLM destination	August 31
Chase to IHG 70% transfer bonus	1,000 Ultimate Rewards become 1,700 IHG points	August 31
Citi to Turkish 40% transfer bonus	1,000 ThankYou points become 1,400 Miles&Smiles miles	August 31
Best Western gift card bonus	$20 bonus card with every $100 in gift cards	September 2
Flying Blue awards under today's rules	Book before the Light, Standard and Flex split takes effect	September 7

New and elevated card offers

• The Amex Gold is showing personalized welcome offers as high as 100,000 points after $8,000 of spend in six months, against a standard 60,000. Amex reveals your offer after you apply and before any hard pull. Who gets one is in our full breakdown, with offer details at AwardWallet.

• Chase pays $1,000, or 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points, on both no-fee Ink business cards after $8,000 of spend in four months. Our comparison works out which one fits your spending, and Thrifty Traveler has the offer terms.

• Rakuten stacks $100 cash back, or 10,000 Bilt points, on top of those Ink bonuses when you apply through its portal, per Frequent Miler.

Devaluations and program changes

• On September 8, Flying Blue splits every Air France and KLM award into Light, Standard and Flex. Light keeps today's mileage price and drops your checked bag, seat selection and changes. Our post has the numbers, first reported by One Mile at a Time.

• Hilton tightened its Best Rate Guarantee on August 20 with ten changes at once, including booking direct before you claim and excluding mobile app rates. Our breakdown covers all ten, sourced from LoyaltyLobby.

• American Express is cutting U.S. credit limits and closing accounts, a pattern last seen in 2008 and 2020. The Cardmember Agreement says Amex "may do so even if you pay on time and your Account is not in default." Our guide covers what to do before yours drops, reported by LoyaltyLobby.

• British Airways halved Avios earning on JAL-marketed flights operated by other carriers, with no announcement. Discounted business fell from 150% to 70%. Check your ticket, details via LoyaltyLobby.

• Uber One trims its rides credit from 6% to 5% while adding a free extra member, per Doctor of Credit. Relevant if you stack Uber Cash from Amex cards.

Worth a read / deeper dives

• Sapphire Reserve Has Three $250 Hotel Credits This Year, and Two of Them Stack. Book one two-night stay at the right brand and $500 comes off.

• Leading Hotels Is Selling Points at 6 Cents. The sale runs through September 25, and the math against transferring Amex at 4:1 is closer than you would expect.

• Paze Is Giving Away $100 Per Card. Ten $10 credits per card through September 10, and Chase adds 10x points on top.

• How to Keep Earning U.S. Points While You Live Abroad. Authorized users keep home spending flowing through your rewards cards.

What to watch next week

American's premium economy upgrade change goes live August 25 on nine transcontinental and Hawaii routes. After the month turns, the Flying Blue fare split lands September 8, so the last week of August is the window to book those awards.

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